How many times have you wanted to be on TV? Now you can be "in" the TV with this great TV set cutout/frame/stage. Can also be used as a puppet stage.

You've heard of HD... now this is a 3D ready set, tuned into reality. The picture is so life-like and the details are just amazing. Stunning clarity with perfect color rendition.

This project started out as my daughter's 2nd grade teacher had a great way to teach kids on how to summarize current events/news and introduce them to public speaking by letting them "broadcast" their news stories. Previously, another parent had constructed something similar to this but made out of cardboard. It had worn out before the next class started so...

If we can put a man on the moon, we certainly have the technology to make a kid-proof prop. Luckily, I had scrap materials laying around and the bezel from a 27" console TV that needed a home.

Step 1: Old News...

This project was done a couple of years ago so I hope the pictures are enough to get someone started. I don't have measurements since everything was fitted to the bezel.

The bezel is from a 27" wood floor console TV that had to go bye-bye. I had actually gutted out the TV guts and saved the console cabinet to make a computer desk by attaching a keyboard drawer where the tube use to be. I rewired the built-in stereo speakers to hook up for great computer sound. They don't make TVs in furniture anymore and all that good wood cabinetry was a shame to waste.

CAUTION!
Don't go poking around the insides of a TV. It contains high voltage capacitors which can discharge even when the set is unplugged. I took the approach of disarming a bomb...safety glasses, check, gloves, check, clip the red wire, no, clip the blue wire,...clockstopper on..did you hear that... It takes at least two people to handle the glass TV tube with all of the electronics disengaged. The shape is awkward, slippery and heavy. Don't drop it on your toes!

I guess your TV/electronics repair shop may have some bezels around in case you don't have one to extract. I was saving the bezel to maybe make a cool picture frame but this purpose came up. If you can't get hold of a real bezel, just get some thin square wood moulding to apply to the frame opening to simulate a bezel. Paint it a contrasting color like the real thing and add a logo of some sort using a metallic paint marker pen. But hey, nothing beats a S@ny.

Using 1x3 lumber stock, make a square frame to fit around the bezel. I had my handy dandy pocket hole drill and jig to connect the pieces together but you can use any variety of carpentry methods to joint the wood (biscuits, dowels, lap joints, etc.)

The bezel can be glued in place using adhesive caulk. I use caulk because it will fill in the wide gaps from the irregular edges it will have from the way it was mounted in the real TV.

(*Design change from picture* I would add an extra side piece to make each of the sides of the front panel have an L shape. This would allow room to better attach the curtains, carrying handle and newscrawl to keep out of the way when the sides are folded in.)

Add short pieces as legs for the TV which extend out front a bit. This serves to prevent the TV from tilting over if you knock it forward. You can't see it from the photo but the 2nd block or layer on the leg was notched to prevent the sides from extending too far out when opening.

Create the two sides. The sides are meant to fold in to make the unit portable. I made a wooden frame to simulate the profile of a TV. It was covered with a piece of hardboard. Thin plywood would do or if you have a piece of leftover paneling to use. Trim the edges and attach feet to match the height of the front panel. The sides are attached to the front panel with heavy duty hinges.

Paint the TV silver or black depending on your preference. I painted the inside of the TV a gloss white because that is what I had laying around.

Attach toilet paper holders to the side panels or to the front of the TV sides. Use adding machine calculator roll paper to make a loop of paper so that you can create your scrolling news flash. If you flip an end of the paper before gluing together, you can create a moebius strip to get a longer message. This is low-tech. Others can add a scrolling LED banner sign.

Step 2: Extra! Extra!

Add a TV antenna by drilling a hole the size for the antenna end to plug in to. You may need to add a piece of scrap wood to beef up the thickness of the wood on the frame.

Add some screw eyes to run a length of cord or wire to hang the two part curtains. As you can see, unless the TV is opened up to the length of the curtain, it will droop and not be taut. The extra side pieces attached would keep it a fixed length.

I added a length of wire to tie the two sides together when it is folded up. You can attach a velcro strip or something to do better.

Attach a handle to the top of the front frame for carrying purposes.

The curtains were made from a piece of scrap satin fabric laying around the house. From the last pic, we are Art imitating Life imitating Art.

Step 3: And Now for Something Completely Different...

Seems TV is everywhere...

Check out the additional TV props that I made for a school play. Nothing but cardboard boxes, empty water bottles, take-out food containers, all covered with plastic shelf liner paper, electrical tape, and aluminum duct sealing tape.

Oh, the TV stand was made from a wood closet rod and some scrap wood cobbled together with small casters attached.

Remember, support your teachers by giving them the tools they need to make learning fun.